The Aftermath
by TNdani
Summary: This is a one shot that I did just after the finale. Now that we have some answers and a lot of speculations, this is what I would do with the rumors we have if the premiere were mine. SINCE THERE ARE TWO NOW WITH THE SAME TITLE, MAKE SURE YOU ARE READING THE RIGHT ONE.
1. Chapter 1

I wrote this just after the finale and let y0ungalaska read it. It was early on when we didn't know what was happening, but now we do. I changed the ending a little bit due to the news we have heard in the past couple days. To me since there is a time jump and Arizona seems to now be the one in question, if they show were mine this is what I would do. **Please note. This is a one shot. If the premiere was mine what would happen.**

A/N 2 The other night I read a fic about the aftermath of the crash. I laughed at first then thought 'oh shit'. There is another one on here that has them arrive home the same way mine does. Kinda scary but hell there is just really one way for it to happen. So just know this has been written for several weeks and was in no way a idea from that fic. Great minds, right? Hope you enjoy.

_**Tragedy is something that happens to all of us at one time in our lives. We try not to think of it as a 'what if' , but a when. We just hope that when it comes to us we have the strength to fight until help arrives.**_

The man stood in front of the door looking down at his suit. He brushed down the side of his jacket as he knocked one more time. He hated suits. In Alex Karev's honest opinion, suits were only for weddings and funeral. So it was fitting that today he be found in one.

Just as he was about to knock for the third time, the door opened. He smiled at the Asian woman standing before him. She was also dressed in something different than her normal scrubs or jeans. Her wardrobe also consisted of a sling on her left arm. "Hey." Alex tried to find a smile.

"Hey." Cristina answered flat.

"How is she?" Alex said as he passed his friend and waited for her to close the door.

"She's hanging in there. " She motioned with her head towards the stairs. "She's upstairs dressing Zola. We had to stop several times because she started in that Zola would never see Lexie again. Not to mention Derek on top of that."

"Yeah, I stopped by his room on the way out of the hospital. Amelia was there and said he was doing well. I know that he hates missing this."

They quieted down as Meredith started to make her way down the stairs. "You ready?" Cristina smiled.

"Yeah."

As Alex took Zola from his friend, they walked out the door to go and do what none of them wanted. Bury their sister and friends.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Callie had felt pain similar to this before. As she placed both hands on the counter of the bathroom sink she remembered that pain. The moment that he had to identify George by the birthmark on his hand. Even that pain didn't measure to this. She had lost her rock, her best friend, and the father of her child. They felt it only appropriate that Mark and Lexie's funerals be held together. Callie was alone. Or she felt that way. As the tears continued to drip on the counter she remember the evening the Doctors were brought home.

She remembered seeing four helicopters off in the distance as a large amount of Seattle Grace's staff waited on their injured family and friends. They was no report on who was alive. The only thing they knew was the information from the newscast.

_"Here is what we know. Six highly renowned surgeons were on a flight to help a set of conjoined twins. The flight went down in the mountain area behind me. This is where the last documentation of the plane was and the only highly wooded spot in the route that is not visible. The rescuers say that the plane has to be somewhere on this mountain. Due to the large amount of trees in these area it was impossible for rescue helicopters to see the wreckage. The search and rescue crews are very concerned that they did fly overs on three different occasions in the past 72 hours, without any sign of a SOS signal or a flair gun being shot into the air. Because of this the crew is extremely concerned if there will be any survivors in the wreckage."_

Callie remembered how doubtful the reporter sounded. She also remembered leaving Owen's side and the rest of the staff that had gathered to watch the news. She walked mindlessly to the chapel and kneeled down on her knees. She intertwined her fingers and brought them to her chin as she closed her eyes. She wasn't sure just how long she had been this way, but when she opened her eyes she looked to the right to see Richard Weber.

"I didn't think you'd mind if I joined you."

"No. No that's fine. I know that Meredith is like a daughter to you. We can pray together."

As they knelt there in silence, minutes turned to hours. Callie and Richard would look over as they heard noise behind them. Owen would come to kneel on the other side of Weber. Now occupying the pew behind was Teddy, Alex, Bailey, Ben, Jackson and April. Different members of the staff had also made their way into the room.

Callie also remembered the moment a scrub nurse ran into the chapel screaming that they had found the plane. As the chapel quickly emptied the space around the television was now completely full.

_"Just moments ago, search and rescue dogs were able to find the crash site. We are hearing reports that there are some fatalities, but the good news is that some are alive."_

Callie lost her breath as she heard the words 'fatalities'. How could she not. Her wife, the father of her daughter and her closet friends were on that plane. She couldn't stand the thoughts of any of them being gone, but the thought of her wife...she couldn't, she wouldn't let her mind go to that awful place.

Due to the fact that the plane crashed just after take off, Seattle Grace was the closest hospital. She would never forget as they stood on that roof, hearing the sound of the helicopters. As they watched them approach Richard reminded Callie and Owen to please stay back and let them work.

The first helicopter landed and people rushed to help. As Callie watched, they unloaded Cristina Yang who was on a stretcher. The head of the stretcher was raised and Owen let out a sigh of relief as he saw Cristina was alright. They then pulled out another stretcher that held Derek. Amelia, who had arrived the day they found out, also held back tears at seeing her brother alive.

The next helicopter landed and they unload a stretcher that contained Meredith Grey. Callie grabbed Richards hand and squeezed it. The next stretcher to be unloaded was the one Callie had waited on. She saw Arizona's blonde hair, but realized immediately that she seemed more critical. Having her left leg in a brace that Callie, as a Orthopedic Surgeon knew, wasn't a good sign. Callie also noticed that she was more elevated then the rest and looked a lot more pail. She knew that she wasn't imagining it. Her wife was showing all the visible signs of severe blood loss and shock. The closer they got she realized her wife was also the only one unconscious.

As she watched the people trying to tend to Arizona, she didn't see the final helicopter land. She only looked when she heard a gasp. Callie looked to see the stretcher that contained a body bag. No one had told them that someone had died, but they were smart. There was also rumors on the news programs that at least one was dead. Callie looked around before it actually hit her that Mark was nowhere. She began to panic. Suddenly there was another stretcher then a third that contained body bags. That's when it hit. That was the first time she realized that Mark was gone...that Lexie and Mark were gone.

The wiped the tears that ran down her face as she heard the knock at the door. "Come in."

"Hey, you about ready. We need to leave."

Callie smiled at Teddy. "Yeah. Thanks again for staying."

"She's my best friend, Callie. She wouldn't want you alone today."

Callie smiled and they made their way out the door.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The funerals were just as somber as Callie had imagined. Thatcher was devastated. Meredith was devastated. Callie, she was just lost. It was still so hard for her to even grasp what had happend. For most of the funeral she was in a blank stare. Knowing that someone left quickly from the funeral, Callie made a stop on the way home.

She walked into the bar and as she assumed it was dead. She had never been to Joe's at 11:30 on a weekday morning before, so she quickly found the object of her search. She walked up to the bar and sat on the stool next to her friend. Callie was facing out toward the bar while Alex faced the bartender.

"You know, one of the first conversations that I had with Arizona was about you." Callie looked over at Alex. He just continued to drink and look straight ahead. "She told me that she had her ass handed to her by a second year resident." Callie smiled. "That totally blow that type A personality for a loop." Callie looked over and Alex was still looking ahead. "She believed in you. From the beginning, she believed in you."

"Just leave, Torres." Alex huffed.

"Look at me." Callie asked. When Alex didn't look at her, the second time wasn't a request. "Look at me!" Alex still looked ahead. "You haven't looked me in the eyes in nearly 3 months. LOOK AT ME!"

Alex turned to Callie. "She believed in you. She believed you were better than this. Don't let her down now. You are an amazing..."

"What I am is the reason she was on that plane. I have nothing. My mom is crazy, my father is an abusive alcoholic, my sister dropped out of school and is on drugs, I never hear from Aaron, I have no children, Izzie got cancer and left me. I have NOTHING. She had EVERYTHING. I shoulda been on that plane, Torres. I am the reason that you are alone. I am the reason that Sofia...it's my fault. "

Callie placed her hand over Alex's hand. "The reason I am alone is because those two babies needed my wife. The reason I am alone is because that plane feel out of the damn sky. That is why I'm alone, Alex. Don't you ever think that I'm alone because you tried to better yourself. She wouldn't want that." Alex turned his head to take another drink. Callie quickly place her hand over the rim of the glass and pressure down until he lowered it. "She wouldn't want this Alex. She isn't here to kiss your ass, so I'm going to do it for her. Get your ass off this stool and your shit together. I'm gonna make sure this wasn't in vain. Her work wasn't in vain. You are gonna be the best damn peds surgeon you can and it isn't gonna happen inside Joe's. " Alex returned his look to Callie. "I know you think you can't look at me, but she was proud of you. I am proud of you. Now, for her, I need you to move on. I can't carry you right now. I don't have the hands or the strength. I am just trying to survive this and make sure that Sofia understands this somehow. I need to walk on your own." Callie rubbed his back as she made her way out the door.

She pasted a flower shop that had become to familiar to her over the past couple months. She would go by and pick out the prettiest arrangement in the shop. They would always be different kinds or colors. She just wanted something she thought would have caught her wife's eye.

Today it was lilies. She carried them to her normal spot and put them in the vase that was there. "I hope you like them." She talked out loud. "They are really pretty." She continued to arrange the flowers. "Teddy called this morning. Her job is going really well. She is kinda glad now that Owen fired her. She wanted the job, but didn't think she could leave. I am sure she gave you all the reasons." Callie took her sit and continued to talk. "I told Alex. I told him that it wasn't his fault. That he was better than this. That you believed in him. I never dreamed I would see Alex Karev so shaken." Callie smiled. "I told him to get off that damn stool." She paused. "He is just...so lost. You're right. Sofia has woke up every night and cries for you. She's looking for you. She doesn't know where you and Mark are. How do I explain this to a one year old? She doesn't understand. Hell I don't understand." Callie listened to the sounds around her. The rise and fall of the ventilator. The beeping of the EKG reading and pulse rate on the monitor. Callie looked at her wife. Her blonde hair was pulled back and she lay with a tube down her throat. "Owen talked to me today." The tears started to run down her cheek. "They say that I need to make a choice. They need an answer. I can't do this, Arizona. I need for you to open your eyes. I know what your advanced directive says, but it's my call. I know that you didn't want this, but...but it was before we were married. Before we had a child that looks for you every night. I need you to open your eyes, please."

_**Life can change in an instant. It can turn on a dime. You just pray it turns your way.**_


	2. Chapter 2

First of all let me say that this story was intended as a one shot months ago just after the finale. I have had so many people ask for more so I started this about a week ago. Since then there is another story with the exact same title. PLEASE BE SURE YOU ARE READING THE RIGHT ONE.

As for those reading Finding Answers, I have been extremely sick the past few months and am just starting to feel better. I have written the chapter twice and am not sure I like either one. No I haven't given up, it's just that I have been so under the weather it was hard to actually focus on anything. Just know that it is in the works.

**Chapter 1**

**3 months later...**

The sound of the alarm clock rang out through the dark room. It was mid morning, although you couldn't tell as the room was dark as night. The light and the world were both shut out just the way the occupant wanted them. After grumbling wasn't stopping the alarm, a arm made its way out from underneath the comforter. The hand searched for the loud clock to no avail causing a louder huff. The comforter was thrown off the person in the loudest huff of the morning. Blood shot blue eyes, looked for the cause of the alarm. She quickly discovered that the clock had been moved to the night stand on her wife's side of the bed. "Damn it, Calliope! Really?"

Arizona scooted to the other side of the bed and slapped the alarm hard enough for the clock to fall to the floor. She knew that Callie had intentionally put the clock there so her wife would actually have to get up. That didn't work as Arizona lay back into the comfortable bed and pulled the comforter back over her head, returning back to the sleep she wanted.

She had found her way back to peaceful sleep for more than 3 hours until, without warning, the comforter was jerked off her sleeping body onto the floor. "Get UP!"

"Good morning to you too, honey." Arizona said sarcastically.

"Good morning? Good morning? Really Arizona? It's two o'clock in the afternoon."

"So are you done at the hospital?"

Callie gave a sarcastic laugh. "This isn't about me and you know it. You had an appointment at 12:30 with Kyle. You have skipped your last three appointments with him. Do you have any idea what I had to do to get him in there on his day off because you missed yesterday? I am having to deal with Mark's estate, try and repair Derek, make sure Cristina's shoulder is healing, dealing with Sofia and now I told Kyle that I would do two of his PT rotations if he would come in today. And you didn't even show up?"

"You don't understand. It isn't gonna matter."

"I need for us to matter. I need for me and Sofia to matter. You are alive, Arizona. Mark is dead. Lexie is dead. You are alive. Why can't that be enough?"

"Calliop..."

"What? You act like that doesn't matter to us. You made it home. That has to count for something." As tears started to fall down Callie's face she turned to leave the room.

"Callie." Arizona words didn't stop wife from leaving and closing the door behind her.

She planted her hands on either side of her body and pulled herself up until she was against the head board. Arizona looked down at her body, looked down at her disability and leaned her head back as tears flowed. She remember the moment she knew their lives would change.

_Arizona sat with Mark's head in her lap. He had been unconscious for some time now. Derek came and sat next to her trying to offer comfort. "He would be miserable without her."_

_"I know." Arizona replied as she ran her fingers through Mark's hair._

_"How's the leg?"_

_"It isn't hurting anymore." Derek's silence said all she needed to know. "I know. When the pain stops, the circulation is gone."_

_"Look, Robbins. We have some time. You know as well as I do that we have time after that. How long has it been?"_

_Arizona tired to smile. "I don't know. Sometime yesterday." Again, Arizona knew what was going through Derek's mind. "It's over Derek. Even Callie can't save it now."_

_"Well...if she can't, you know that she isn't going to care, right?"_

_"I will care."_

_"She is one of the best orthopedic surgeons in this country. She deals with this every day. She knows that emotional part as well as the physical part. They have come a long way with prosthetics these days too. She can help you."_

_"Sof and I have this thing we do. She will crawl around the floor as fast as she can and she wants me to crawl behind her and chase her." Arizona chuckled. "I swear she could do that for hours." The sadness returned to her voice. "That's our thing. That's OUR time. What happens to our thing? I don't want this to effect her more than it has already." _

_"You have said a million times. Kids adjust. They are more resilient than adults. She will play off you and Torres. Her life will only be affected if you don't come home." He placed a gentle hand on top of Arizona's. "Your daughter and wife will be fine as long as you are alright. You have to know that."_

Arizona moved over to the side of the bed and took her prosthetic. As she stood there was a pinch that took her breathe. Callie had told her this would happen until she got through her physical therapy. She walked slowly to the closet and removed the jeans and shirt. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail and sat on the bed to put her jeans on. Every time she tried it would get hung on the hardware. She knew it was just a matter of learning, but truth is she hadn't took the time. She cursed a few times and then got frustrated and screamed "Aw, Damn it!" She threw the equipment across the room.

It had been a long and grueling physical therapy appointment. Arizona was sore and had a small bruise where the prosthetic had pinched her leg several times. Being here, in this hospital was hard. Harder than she had even thought. Kyle had been gone several minutes and Arizona was just sitting on the couch in the room. In all honesty she was waiting for everyone to go home. She didn't want to see anyone. Her hopes were very short lived.

The door to the room slowly opened and a very timid April Kepner stuck her head in. "Dr. Robbins?"

Arizona was frustrated that someone found her, but she couldn't be mad at April. She had never told anyone, but the young surgeon reminded her a lot of herself when she was younger. Arizona took a deep breath and steadied her emotions. "Yeah. What is it Dr. Kepner?"

The younger woman saw this as an opportunity that no one else was given, a moment to talk to Arizona. "It's just...it's jus t that I promised Dr. Torres that I would watch Sofia for a little while tonight and I was just paged to surgery. I checked with Dr. Torres and she will be in surgery for a few more hours. I...I just don't know what to do about your daughter."

"I heard that you went back to the farm."

April closed the door and walked midway to Arizona. "I did."

"I heard that you came back when the budget shifted. When Teddy was gone and when Mark and Lexie...and I didn't return."

"Yes, Ma'am that's true."

"You believe in God, right?"

"Every much so, yes."

"You believe that things happen for a reason?"

April was almost afraid where this was going. "Yes I do."

"How could God take a plane full of surgeons that were going to help babies, how could he just let that plane fall out of the sky? How could he, a God that is supposed to be about love, do that?"

"I wish that I knew. I have asked myself that a million times since that day. How Lexie and Mark could die, how Derek's hands could be damage, how one of the most loving couples that I have ever met could fall apart." Arizona quickly looked at April. "I just don't know. I know that we are taught that things happen for a reason. No one ever said we were going to understand and like the reason, or ever know why."

"I don't know how to forgive...anyone for this. Not God, not Callie, not Alex. I just don't know. How do you do that?"

"You know, we deal with this in patients all the time. They get hurt or someone dies and they blame everyone closest to them." April stopped not knowing if she should continue.

"You look like you have something else to say."

"They need something to blame that can feel it. That they can make hurt the way they do. You can't make God or that plane feel your pain. But Dr. Torres..." April stopped again when Arizona face changed to anger.

"You don't think I should blame the person who actually took a bone saw and cut my leg off? The person who promised to save it? The person who saves everyone else's leg, but her own wife's? I shouldn't blame her?"

April knew she had a chance. A chance to say what everyone else was thinking. She knew she was given this chance for a reason. "I think that you blame you. I think that you want Callie to feel just as badly as you do. Alex too. I think that you know you got on that plane out of anger and it lead to this." April swallowed hard not believing she had said all that in one breath. Arizona didn't move. "I was there Dr. Robbins. At sat by Callie in that gallery and when they knew that the infection was too bad, and the leg couldn't be saved, I watched her jump up and go into that OR to make sure there was nothing that could be done. It was your leg or your life. How was she to know you would have picked the leg. How was anyone to know that. She is the one who removed it because she wanted to make sure it was done right. She is the best and she knows it and she wanted the best for you. You could hear her crying in the gallery with every cut. She did that for you. She cut her own wife's leg off for you."

Arizona smiled. "I didn't think you had it in you, Kepner."

April returned the smile and chuckled. "Me either." Then they both chuckled. "Meredith is so angry and hurt that she has become the new Nazi."

"I heard."

April's pager sounded. As she looked at it she began to talk. "She is pretty upset with you too."

"Me? Why me?"

"You lived Dr. Robbins. Lexie didn't. Dr. Grey would give anything to have Lexie sitting with a prosthetic. Instead she buried her. You brother died in the war, right?"

"Yes."

"If you had the chose. If you could have chosen, wouldn't you rather him come home without a leg or never have came home?" Arizona said nothing. "Look I gotta go. Can you get Sofia?"

"Yeah. I'll pick her up."

"Thanks." As April started to leave she turned back to face Arizona. "See. Things happen for a reason. Surgery called and we got to talk. Don't count God out yet Dr. Robbins." With that the surgeon was gone.

Callie quickly pushed the button to elevator as she repeated. "Crap...crap...crap...come on." Callie was panicking. She had received the text from April telling her that Arizona had agreed to pick up their daughter from daycare. She reached the door, took a deep breath in preparation of Arizona being angry and opened the front door.

Callie was pleasantly surprised and equally nervous that the house was so quiet. She looked over at the couch to find her wife and daughter asleep under a blanket. The sigh that Callie released was one of relief and sadness. She had missed seeing them this way, normal. She tried to quietly lay her keys on the bar, but before she reached it she heard something that caused her heart to skip a beat. "Calliope."

Callie turned to see that her wife was now awake. "Yeah?"

"We waited as long as Sof would allow before we had to eat dinner. There is plenty left and the stove is on low so it should be warm."

Callie didn't know what to say. It was almost like the last few months hadn't even happened. "Um, ok. Thanks." Callie sat her keys and jacket down. "I can take her to bed."

"No. You eat and rest." Arizona started to sit up with the young girl. "I'll take her."

"Are you su..."

"Callie, I have to learn to do this. I have to learn to get around with her on my own."

"Ok." To say that Callie was stunned was an understatement.

"You eat." Arizona said as she stood. Her wife watching her closely to make sure she was ok. As she started to walk she flinched causing Callie to almost run to her side. As Arizona saw Callie move out of the corner of her eye she said "I got it, Callie. Let me do it."

Callie watched as Arizona walked into Sofia's room. When Arizona was in the room, Callie put her elbows on the bar and brought her head to her hands as tears started to run down her cheeks. She quickly wiped them when the other woman entered the room.

"It pinches." Callie looked over at her wife who was rubbing the top of the leg. "It has caused a bruise where it pinches. You think you could help me with that?" Arizona stopped talking when she was in front of Callie.

"Um, yeah. We can see about getting you a better fit."

Arizona looked at her wife in the eyes for a moment. "When we were out there it was the thought of you and Sofia that kept me fighting. My leg was killing me, it was cold, we were starving and it looked like there was no hope, but I thought of you. I just wanted to see you again." She paused for a moment. "I don't want you to ever think you aren't enough. You are the reason I am here. I could tell you that I am sorry a million times and it wouldn't do what I have done justice, but I am sorry. I am sorry that I was mad at Alex and got on a plane that almost killed me. I am sorry that I made you promise me that you'd make them keep my leg. I am sorry that I wasn't there when Mark died and at his funeral. But I am mostly sorry for the fact that I made you feel like you weren't anything to me. You and Sof are everything to me. I was...I was angry and I needed someone to take it out on. I am sorry that was you."

"I did everything I cou..."

"I know you did. Thank you." Arizona took Callie's face in her hands and just before their lips met she whispered again. "I'm so sorry." Arizona could fell the tears that were on Callie's face.

"I just want you to be ok."

"I am perfect just the way I am. I am here with you and our daughter. I couldn't ask for more."

"Me either."


End file.
